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Ankle Arthritis: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

Ankle arthritis is a painful condition of the ankle joint.

Before reading further it would first be good to know the relevant ankle anatomy. (skip this it you have already read the page)

Common causes of this condition include

fractures and dislocations
infections which include septic and tubercular arthritis
rheumatoid arthritis
gout
long standing instability (weakness) of the ankle joint following ligament rupture

Symptoms include

pain that is worsened by activity such as walking
swelling around the ankle joint
tenderness over the ankle
fever may be present in infections
restriction of movement
and deformity may be present

Diagnosis is confirmed by x rays of the ankle that show

decrease in the space between the bones due to thinning of the cartilage
alteration in the density of the bones
presence of bone spurs (osteophytes)

X rays in tuberculosis may show the destruction of bone.

Other investigations that may be required include

blood investigations for rheumatoid arthritis and gout
pus culture and sensitivity in infections to find out the causative organism and the antibiotic drug effective against it
tests for tuberculosis

Treatment includes

anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain and swelling
antibiotic drugs in septic arthritis
anti-tubercular drugs in tuberculosis
drug treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and gout
fusion of the ankle joint is done if pain persists after the above treatment

Fusion is also indicated in arthritis caused by instability, fractures and dislocations.

This is a x ray of a patient with ankle arthritis. You can see the absence of space between the tibia and the talus bone and their increased density. Below is a normal ankle x ray for comparison. You can see the joint space between the tibia and talus. x ray of a normal ankle joint

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I under go ankle joint replacement?

Long term results of ankle replacement have not been satisfactory, therefore replacement is not advisable.

Won't fusion make walking more difficult?

No it won't. Right now you have a painful and stiff ankle. After fusion you will have a painless and stiff ankle joint.

I hope the information provided was helpful. If you have any query you can ask me at the contact me page.

This page was last updated on 2nd February 2011.

Other causes of ankle pain ...

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